Diaper cleaner



March 12, 1963 J. E. WILSON 3,080,593

DIAPER CLEANER Filed March 16, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2Fij-4 r I INVENTOR.

BY w 55- W March 12, 1963 J. E. WILSON DIAPER CLEANER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 16, 1959 INVENTOR JAMES E. WILSON This invention relates to a sanitary washing apparatus,

and it deals more particularly with an instrument for the easy removal of solid foreign matter from an infants diaper in pro-washing prior to laundering.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a convenient means for cleaning an infants diaper or like garment, preparatory to laundering, in a sanitary manner, and with little, if any, necessity of contact with the soiled part by the hands. in connection therewith, it is a salient feature of my invention that I have provided an instrument wherewith a diaper may be scraped, during pro-rinsing in a commode, and which also may be employed to wring the diaper free of excess water without the necessity of the use of the hands for wringing.

The average American home today uses a laundromat or a diaper service, or has special provisions for laundering soiled diapers in the home. It is customary to prerinse or prewash diapers before Submitting them to the usual laundering. This is true whether or not the diapers, or under garments of infants, are washed in the home oi sent to a diaper service. Diaper service companies require their customers to clean and rinse these articles and substantially remove all stains as a necessary health measure.

Further, it has been found by health authorities that the only practical Way to prevent epidemic diaper rash is through strict enforcement of home sanitary measures prior to washing in a public laundry.

The most common method of handling diapers calls for dipping a diaper soiled with fecal matter in the bowl of the commode filled with water, where the solids are scraped off with some instrument, and the diaper is then wrung free of excess water with the hands. Afterward, the diaper is placed in a special container preparatory to laundering. It can readily be seen that the use of the mal operation the toilet bowl 8 is filled with a level of lands in this operation is an unsatisfactory method of handling.

Accordingly, I have provided an instrument of the character described herein having a scraping edge, for use in removing solid fecal matter from a diaper, which also is formed with a special configuration of its surface to provide a recess through which, by articulation, a diaper may be wrung substantially free of water without the usual necessary use of the hands. In this connection, I have also provided means for grasping a submerged diaper with the same advantages.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the instant specification, and are to be read in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals are employed to indicate like parts in the various views:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the article.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines 22 of FIG. 1 in the direction indicated.

FIG. 3 is a plan view partially broken away of a modification of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 3 in the direction indicated.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a standard type commode to show the scraping operation in use of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a commode showing the use of the invention in wringing.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that my invention comprises essentially an elongated bar A having one end shaped to form a handle 1, with the other end of the bar reversely curved to provide a 3,08%,593 Patented Mar. 12, 1983 scraping head 2, having an inner concave face 3 and an outer convex scraping edge 4.

The configuration of the scraping head 2 is such that it comes substantially to a point at its outer end, as shown in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1. As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the scraping edge 4 is provided with upper and lower beveled surfaces 4a and 4b, respectively;

The concave inner face 3 is tooled to provide a smooth rounded face, as can readily be seen from FIG. 2. The handle end of the instrument is provided with a hole 6, such that the same can be hung in a convenient place when not in use.

I have found it desirable, but not essential, that this instrument be made of a plastic material, such that the same. may be easily stamped or cast and the faces of the head tooled and beveled as shown.

As can be seen from FIG. 5, the instrument of my invention is used in connection with a standard type of toilet bowl 7. This type of bowl, found in the usual commode, is provided with a water bowl 8, having at its upper end a rounded lip 9. The bowl is provided with a forward baffle wall 10 descending into a recess 11 communicating with an outgoing water passage .12 formed witha bafile wall 13, further communicating with a trap '14 passing into the sewer line 15. The bowl is also provided with an intake passage 17 communicating with the intake line through opening 18 and the bowl through opening 19. This passage is of course suitably vented through an open: ing 29 as shown.

The use of this invention is relatively simple. In norwater 22 which rises to a substantial level on the battle wall 19. A soiled diaper is grasped by one end with the diaper 25 being dipped into the bowl and sloshed around in the water to loosen the material adhering thereto. -With the endof the diaper held in the hand, with the principal soiled surface of the diaper resting on the forward baffle wall 10 and beneath the surface of the water, the instrument of my invention is used, as indicated in FIG. 5, with the convex edge of the head 4 being used to scrape the surface of the diaper beneath the surface of the water, as shown. During this operation the cornmode would be flushed several times to wash away all of the soiled matter.

ings, the diaper is then'lifte'd over to the edge ofthe toilet bowl, as indicated in FIG. 6. At this point, the pointed end of the head of the instrument is hooked under the edge of the lip 9 of the toilet bowl as shown in FIG. 6. This operation is preferably accomplished on the edge of the toilet bowl. With the pointed end of the instrument hooked under the edge of the lip of the toilet bowl the naturally constricted wet portion of diaper is brought into the recess 3 of the head of the instrument. and the instrument articulated outwardly relative to the bowl, to squeeze this portion of the diaper. The diaper is then drawn upwardly through the recess and against the concave surface 3, with the instrument being held firmly against the diaper, such that the diaper in this operation is squeezed or wrung substantially free from water as the diaper is withdrawn from the bowl.

It can readily be seen that by articulation of the instrument, as the diaper is drawn through the recess 3, the diaper can be wrung free of water just as effectively as can be done with the use of both hands.

Due to the peculiar structure of some toilet bowls, I have found that a modification of my invention may be effectively used as indicated in FIG. 3 of the drawings. Referring more particularly to FIG. 3, it can be shown that a modification of the invention may be made wherein the head 2 of the instrument is formed with the con- 3 cave recessliormeds-more arcuate-with ..a projection 2a providing a substantially crescent shaped head as indicated. In this modification, the surface 3 is notched at its outer end to form-afproje'cting shoulder 3a.

It can readily be seen that Withthis modifiction the in strument-may be used with a toilet bowl having a smaller lip, and, by articulation, in the twisting of :the instrument or rotating the same inwar'dly za-str-onger' squeezing or wringingsaction may l'be exertedupon thetsurface of-the diaper.

"With either 'embo'diment' of thezinvention, it canalso be seen that-thmpointedend' of the 'head rnay be used to pick up' adiaper which'has become 'tota l'ly. submerged :beneath thefsurface'of the water'in the toiletbowl.

It will be readily apparent that my invention-has many advantages. This invention-makesait possible for a person preparing a diaper for laundering to handle the same with themini-mum useof the hands. It is possible, first,'to grasp a diaper with the pointed end-of the instrument, enabling theuser to then seize 1 the diaper by' one of' its corners. Thediap'ermaythen fbe subrnerged in the water withoutwe'tting the-hands. Bringing-"the same to the'side of the' toilf bowl,' or' preferahly, the front and face of the 'to'ilet bowl, theend of the instrument may be used for' thepu'rpose of scraping the surface of the diaper free of -all :so'lid material. Lln this -1operation, again, it "is not nec'ess'ary to allow the ha'nds to come in contact with the water in' the bowl. "As soon asthe diaper is'substantially free fr'om' solid waste and 'cle'an, the end of the diaper may be 'b'rought'over to the edgeof the toilet' bowl and, by use of the instrument asdescribed, the diaper may be wrung free from water. I Inthe nranufacture 'of this "instrument it "is necessary that the inner surface of the "concave recess f 3' be complete'ly rounded in order "to provide a smooth surface againstw'hi'ch the diaper niay bedrawn in"- the wringing operation. -Sincediapers are not madeof very strong -material,ithe' roundingrof the surfaces mentioned prevents the 'tearing of the fibers ofAbe -material. The convex surface of theh'ad 4 'should be' beveled in order to obtain more etfi'cient s'eraping; but 'this is-not necessary if his des'ired"to manufacture the instrument with a' more simple design.

The instrument is' simp'le in design "and economical to manufacture. 'It may be-made fromany of'the well known semi-rigid plastic materials, or" if desired, can be manufactured of metal or, where necessary, of wod'd. The design of 'the instrument is such that it can be used by'e'itherf a left handed 'or' a 'righthanded person.

It' is" within the" scope of this invention that various inat'e rialsmaybe used 'forthe' manufacture of 'this article,

'4 and that either of the :embodimentsshown .may be employed.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects herein before set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which-are inherent to the device.

It will'beunclerstood that certain features and'subcombinations areof utilityand may be employed without reference to other features" and sub-combinations.

vThis is contemplated by and iswithin .thescopeof the claims.

Ina-smuchasvarious modificationsof the structure may be made withoutu departing' from the scope of the invention, it is to-be understood that'allmatter hereinsetv forth or shown inlthe accompanying vdrawingsis to beLinterpreted as illustrative and not ..in.a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A diaper cleaner of the character described comprising .an elongated flattened barhavingone end shaped to: form-a straight, substantially. narrow lengthwise. handle, meansto hold-a diaper against the edge of a toilet bowl and=to wring said diaper,.saidmeans comprisinga reversely bent portionshaped to .a point to. provide a substantially crescent-shaped head with. opposite parallel planar surfaces, andhavingonesideof said head shaped to-provide asmooth-edged concave wringing surface for squeezing and wringing a diaper drawn tightly thereupon, and the other .sideof said head shaped toprovide .a convex projection thereof having inwardly beveled planar surfaces to form a. substantially sharp scraping edge.

2. Adiaper cleaner of the character described in claim 1, wherein a portion of said handle adjaccntsaid head is extended therefromprojecting into the concave portion of :said head to provide .a substantially semi-circular arcuate configuration to-said concavity.

'References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 101,209 B abcock Mai-. 29, 1870 1,093,939 Langton Apr. 21, 1914 1,211,098 Darrin 'Jan. 2, 1917 1,239,176 Gilbert -QSept. 4, 1917 1,579,495 'Stroud Apr. 6, 1926 2,002,078 Dickie 'May 21, 1935 2,065,886 Clift Dec. 29, 1936 2,761,165 Krzanowski Sept. 4, 1956 2,808,594- Hodgson Oct.8, 1957 .FOREIGN PATENTS 183,396 Great Britain Iuly 27, 1922 "262,944 Germany July 28," 1913 

1. A DIAPER CLEANER OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING AN ELONGATED FLATTENED BAR HAVING ONE END SHAPED TO FORM A STRAIGHT, SUBSTANTIALLY NARROW LENGTHWISE HANDLE, MEANS TO HOLD A DIAPER AGAINST THE EDGE OF A TOILET BOWL AND TO WRING SAID DIAPER, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A REVERSELY BENT PORTION SHAPED TO A POINT TO PROVIDE A SUBSTANTIALLY CRESCENT-SHAPED HEAD WITH OPPOSITE PARALLEL PLANAR SURFACES, AND HAVING ONE SIDE OF SAID HEAD SHAPED TO PROVIDE A SMOOTH-EDGED CONCAVE WRINGING SURFACE FOR SQUEEZING AND WRINGING A DIAPER DRAWN TIGHTLY THEREUPON, AND THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID HEAD SHAPED TO PROVIDE A CONVEX PROJECTION THEREOF HAVING INWARDLY BEVELED PLANAR SURFACES TO FORM A SUBSTANTIALLY SHARP SCRAPING EDGE. 